Chapter One

The market square was hectic, people shouting, children running and screaming while people dodged them trying to get their shopping done. The sun was out today bringing more people out than usual elderly couples were sat in shady cafes' watching younger couples walk by arm in arm. Cransbury was a small tourist town; small but busy due to its beauty. The locals sold their wares and chatted to the visitors about the town – it was a small haven from the wars being waged elsewhere.

"They have found us again," the flaxen haired 16 year old observed wearily to her auburn haired companion, after noticing some familiar faces in overly familiar uniforms watching them, 'then again they always do – eventually' she thought to herself glancing at the girl next to her who looked unconcerned – though thoughtful. They were in the middle of a busy market and could easily evade the soldiers whilst collecting supplies. 'It would all begin again tonight' the blonde thought as she walked to work with a sigh, her companion was still in the market. It's always the same, never ending. Such was their life – ever on the run, never settling down or making real friends.

The auburn haired girl knew that the soldiers would not attempt to apprehend them not in a busy market in broad daylight if they could avoid it; they would wait until the two girls were secluded or for nightfall – which-ever came first.

Lillian' words were still echoing in the dark haired girls head: '"these people must need us desperately" she mused, obviously unhappy "or at least enough to follow me everywhere and to have killed countless of innocent people". The brunette hugged the blonde and squeezed her.'

The golden-brown haired girl entered the hostel the girls had been living in and shut her-self into their room; she knew soldiers had followed her there and would be waiting outside for her. She brought two back-packs out and packed them. Sharing the food and the new supplies between them; the put blankets and medical kit in one and a simple tent and a small amount of money they had managed to collect. The two of them had only been in the market town for about six months.

She shouldered a back pack leaving the other by the door and gazed out of the window, the sun was shining, birds were singing and the send of the flowers drifted to her – but this did not ease her mind as it would have done a few weeks ago. It seemed cruel to be found on such a beautiful day –but then her life had been perpetually cruel. She exited the room carrying two large sacks and her bag, she exited the hostel as normal and went to sit on a stone wall the two sacks leaning against the wall the back pack sat on the wall beside her. She sat there looking at the view a head of her; there were another six of their companions who were still in hiding (hopefully) seven if you counted Uncle H – these guys have been after her and Lillian for years; so they ran when they were recognised in a market-place near their home; they had run in the opposite direction to where their companions were in hiding hoping to reunite with them again someday. It had been 18 months since they had last seen any of them and they missed them all dearly.

"Oh!" the girl sighed in irritated resignation as her bag plummeted down the hill and out of sight. She had jumped knocking the bag as the town clock struck the hour waking her sharply from her daydream. She picked up the two sacks and made her way into the laundrette where she and Lillian worked.

The Brunette entered the laundrette shop floor, and smiled at Lillian, who was busy "Hey, Suzy, Lucy is here" Lillian called to the woman on the front desk trying to smile, the elderly lady looked up and smiled at the two; the blonde girls heart wretched; Lucy grimaced at the name it was not her real name. Suzy had white hair; a smooth face for a lady of her age and very pale blue eyes; this woman had taken her under her wing, given her a job and knew what about her being on the run. Suzy looked at the young golden haired girl and frowned, she did not know either girls' true name but called them Sarah and Lucy after her nieces who had died some years before.

"Sarah said there is something she needs to tell me but is waiting for you" the older woman stated concerned, she knew something was wrong. Lucy nodded; she never spoke to anyone beyond Lillian; which Suzy put it down to the girl being shy.

"They have found us, Lucy has been noticing them turn up over the last couple of weeks but today we were definitely being followed," Lillian replied, sitting down wearily, "they will come for us tonight most likely".

Suzy's heart went cold; these young girls' would need to run for their lives again. She could see the loneliness in the blonde dark eyes. "When will you leave?" the older woman asked softly holding the girl close; the auburn girl just watched.

"Tonight, they must see us escape or they will torture and kill people until they get answers" the girl replied; her friend turned away holding back a sob remembering a past incident. Lillian turned her head into the older woman's neck, wretched about having to leave her – she looked up to Suzy as a mother or grandmother and now all of a sudden she only had a few hours left before they said their goodbyes – probably forever!

Suzy remember this girl entering the laundrette for the first time, inquiring if she had any work going for the two girls. She hadn't known why at the time but she took them on just to help her catch up; she was amazed to see them work so diligently and for so little pay in return. It had taken Suzy three weeks to coax the darker haired girl to trust her; the three of them worked together from dawn until past nine at night seven days a week.

Suzy got up and walked to her tea-table; she opened one of the secret draws and pulled a package out from the compartment. "I want you to take this" she stated, sitting back down placing the package in front of the youngsters, Lillian opened it. The sight with-in made the auburn haired eye's widened in shock, "you know I have no family left, and you two have been like daughters to me" Suzy smiled love in her expression and voice, which brought tears to the younger women's eyes.

"We can't Suzy" Lillian whispered, "this must be your life' savings".

The old woman laughed, "Pretty much, my sweet and you will take it and let me have the satisfaction of knowing I have helped you". She stroked the girls' hair, "but before you leave, will you tell me your real names?" the old woman requested. Lillian looked at her dark haired companion who was looking thoughtfully at the kindly woman thoughtfully before getting up and hugged Suzy, whispering her name into the listen ear; Lillian followed suit. "Suitable names I will admit – but we must start working or we will be here until midnight", and with that the three female to work; Suzy and Lillian chatting as if it was a normal day. People came and went delivering laundry to be cleaned or picking up their laundry. Every-time the girls looked out of the window or closing door she saw a solider outside – twice they came in dropping off dirty clothing.

The Auburn haired girl saw the sun was setting. "We must go soon, Suzy" Lillian reminded the old woman sadly, noticing her friends' attention "or they will burst in here".

"I know child" the woman replied with-out looking up. A tear dropped onto the piece of paper Suzy was reading, the girl went and put her arms round the older woman.

"Oh Suzy!" the girl whispered and stood there for a while holding the woman. "I'll miss you," she whispered, then gave the woman a quick peck on the cheek, "thank you for showing me that there is still kindness in the world" she let the woman go reluctantly and walked to the door with the package safely stowed away in the shoulder bag given to her by the older woman – "farewell mother" the girl said.

Suzy looked up but too late the door was swinging closed and the two girls' silhouette flashed past the window. Suzy allowed the tears to rain down her cheeks and sobbed. "Fare-well, Daughters" she whispered tears running unchecked down her cheeks, her heart breaking for losing two such sweet hardworking children. Lillian was holding back her tears as they walked away quickly; afraid Suzy would call them back.

"Get her!" a voice called out of the darkness, the auburn haired girl ran harder. There were probably six or seven of them pursuing her and weren't far off. Skidding through alleyways and jumping the wall only kept her a few steps ahead of them. It was night and thankfully in this little town that meant she could hide easier. 'Almost there' the girl encouraged herself feeling weary. The streets were littered with garbage and other things that best remain unmentioned not to mention the unwholesome stench. Few sane people walked those paths during the day time but here she was running down them tonight to get to her escape route. Suzy, Lillian and herself had been over this plan many times and again over lunch in the upper room. She had the map in her hand and was making a zigzag line for her escape – occasionally back tracking.

She halted for a moment in an alley way bent over gasping for breath; she was not used to running like this these days. "There she is! We'll get her this time!" two shouted appearing at the end of the alley she had entered, the girl noted that they sounded winded them-selves. She groaned and set off again 'they just don't give up do they?' she growled to herself, all she could do was run - to live just that little while longer. She suddenly stopped dead at the edge a steep waterway. There was nowhere else to go. Either side had tall walls too high for her to jump up, she swung round. She couldn't jump across water way onto the other side - no one could. But she needed to be a few streets to the left to be above the sharp corner of the water way, how could she have miscalculated by so much?

"Halt, girl!" a shout came, she heard the guns being cocked, and she turned around. Her hair had come loose from the hair band which was now on her wrist, and was now blowing in the wind framing her fearful yet determined golden eyes. Her fair skin shivered but not from the cold as it was a mild summer night. She was wearing a dark purple tank top, covered by a black hooded jumper, dark blue jeggings which spectacularly showed her leg shape and she was wearing trainers. The only dark clothes she had left after her bag taking a trip down the slope.

"You're coming with us girly." A man, tall and well-muscled stated, his gun, like the others was aimed at me, his eye wary. Yes this one had seen this girl, knew she was not as sweet as she looked - they weren't taking any chances. "Don't move, we may not be able to kill you but we are allowed to maim you if needs be"

The ledge was only a step behind her. The girl replied with feral smirk; the other officers looked un-easy; they didn't like it when she smiled like that- it meant she would fight and they could not kill her. 'I can make this jump the water is fast and deep' she thought, she couldn't see it so much as sense it, shifting back a little as they edged closer, 'but how far would they track me this time' All the way back through the past year and a half they had chased her relentlessly. 'If I let them get me in this time - what would they do?' she considered, she was tired of running, 'But then why would I want to go with people who are allowed to maim me?' she thought mentally slapping herself for being weak.

She took a step backwards over the side - BANG! A bullet sped towards her and searing hot pain erupted in her right side. Fire coursed through her veins even as she hit the cool waters below, she held the wound as tight as possible with her hands to stop the blood, which really didn't help. The bullet had gone straight through – even if the blood wasn't coming out one side it was coming out of the other. Another shot was fired and found its mark the girls' right shoulder. She scarcely registered any pain after that – it seemed to be everywhere and it was affecting her vision but she heard a yell to hold fire "– she's needed alive!" Williams, the commanding officer' voice echoed. Dark spots appeared and disappeared in front of her eyes, 'My bag' she remembered vaguely – she needed the bag as it held the survival kit.

She led on her back and kicked her legs as fast as possible; aiming for the bend in the waterway. The water was refreshing and revitalised the girls' senses – even the pain didn't feel so bad at that moment. A ladder jutted out just as Suzy had told the girl, which she noted thankfully when she spotted it. She pulled herself up grimacing and occasionally gasping for breath because of the pain, after half an hour she reached the top and collapsed on the ground. The whispering of the grass and trees were relaxing, she could hear nothing, no shouts of being found. She couldn't see very much either, sighing she lifted her head and looked around – her bag was meant to be around here somewhere, unless it travelled too far and dropped into the waterway.

She smiled relieved when she saw it against the railing at the bottom of the slop. She could feel nothing but fire all over and flopped back down breathing heavily trying not to let the pain get the better of her. 'I must get up – need to be gone by daylight' she told herself. She raised herself bit by bit and she scooted to her bag and removed the survival kit and set to work.

Lillian' tired footsteps echoed in the emptiness. Safety was the priority now - the halls were too open and the ceiling above me led down into clear, glass walls that spanned the length of the hall. This building had probably been very nice before it started to decline. The first door on the ground floor was already open like someone had kicked it in; inside looked like someone of high society may have lived there some time ago but now everything was broken or missing. Every room on this floor was like that. They'd been looted for lack of a better word. She suddenly slumped gripping her side and pain consumed her, she looked down and saw there was no wound, she struggled up. She was pale with worry and knew her time was slipping away quickly.

She was now on the first floor all the doors have been locked or people lived in the rooms behind. There was an emergency exit at the end of the hall opposite, so stated the dim neon green glowing 'EXIT' sign above the door with 'EXIT' written on it in red. They'd be coming for her from street level so she had no choice but to go down that way when the time came. She opened the door and found the fire escape broken beyond use, but there was a pretty decent car parked down there – she must remember, just in case. The auburn haired girl sighed as she slipped back in and went up to the next floor which had more doors lining the walls; doors that probably led to shabby, barely liveable rooms (well in her opinion barely liveable).

It appeared that this level was still being used and was full. 'Probably, at incredibly low rates the bums of the town,' the girl mused, 'which room is it? - 31' she looked at the piece of paper in her pocket and walked to door 31. Suddenly she could hear shouts from below – they sounded loud in this hall, but then everything sounded loud now. She pushed off the door. Having no choice she readied herself for one good kick and hoped no-one owned this particular apartment.

SLAM! It gave way easily enough and darted in closing the door behind her. All damage done to the frame and door showed on the inside leaving the surface free of marks. "I wish you were here with me" she whispered tears falling to the floor, she leant her head against the door trying to steady her breath.

The familiar pressure of a gun pressed to the side of her head managed to register itself through the pain. "Don't move" a male voice warned.

"Please, I've been sent here" she replied automatically as she had been instructed to do, her breaths coming in short quick bursts, and sweat made her tanned skin shine in the dull light of the room. 'Why is a gun being held to my head?' she speculated, with a moment of dread at the thought of being tricked.

"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the voice demanded, she took a chance and glanced behind her; the voice belonged to a young man, maybe not much older than herself, but she still didn't dare make a move, 'well he doesn't seem like he's one of them at least' she thought.

They both froze as they heard voices below on the streets:

"Where'd she go?" Suddenly the room plunged into darkness, but the gun was still against the girls head.

"I don't know – she's got to be about somewhere"

"Find her! Search every room!" the conversation was muffled, but by the sound of it, not far away. She could feel her pulse quicken, posture tense, and her eyes dilated with fear. "Oh, should have just run for it!" she breathed startling the male behind her.

A knock at the door was like the hammer hitting the bullet in a gun barrel which made them both jump slightly. The boy said nothing, but the pressure disappeared. A hand pushed her into a dark closet bag and all. She was hidden by the thin door; she listened while holding the wound on her side.

"Yes?" the boy asked sounding tired, like he had just woken up and he was pretty convincing.

"Sorry for waking you, but have you seen this girl?" the solider enquired "she's an escaped convict" There was a pause and the girl actually prayed the male wouldn't give her away and this girl wasn't exactly religious these days.

"No. I'm sorry, but I've never seen this woman." The boy replied, the girls' head spun – he had lied for a complete stranger who had just broken into his room.

"Right, thank you, sir" The door closed softly followed by another pause of silence broken by a knock on the next door. The doors opened and the male saw the girl crouched head against the closet wall, she was trying to stay conscious but sleep was obviously just so much more inviting…

"Not a good idea, come on, wake up." Firm but gentle hands pulled her to her feet. She was limp and the last of her strength was quickly slipping away. The sat her in a chair and stood directly in front of her, "Now tell me who you are and why you're here." It was hard to tell if he was pissed or just annoyed. His voice betrayed nothing - typically.

"I was told to come hide here and if someone came to give this" she said, holding out an envelope, she was still with it enough to not give her name, "I just… need a place… to hide until night fall." God was it hard to talk… just a little sleep… that's all. 'Let me sleep just for an hour'.

"Of course" was the last thing she heard before finally succumbing to the sleep her body was demanding.

The mission had to be scrapped now. Someone knew he was here and there were FP soldiers around, nothing could be done now. Simply killing this stranger would be easy but the fact that FP soldiers wanted her intrigued him; she was barely 16 by the look of her. The male walked to the window on the other side of the room and opened the letter and his eyes widened in surprise, it gave the girls name and co-ordinates to drop her off but was signed Admin 01-87-H; which he knew very well and the co-ordinates looked familiar too. He looked out of the window, the city lights illuminated the night. He could see the man who'd come to his door standing at attention on the sidewalk below. He was saying something to another man who was more muscular, probably his commanding officer. The Commanding Officer nodded sharply and stalked off. The smaller soldier stood a moment longer before relaxing and walked off in the other direction. The boy sighed running a hand through his bright blonde hair.

The male pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. He didn't need to look at it to know who he was calling any one of the four on speed dial would do. "If you are a Pilot and you know it clap your hands!" sung an amused, almost childish voice.

"Hey Damien," He greeted, looking at the sleeping girl frown as she shifted in her sleep.

"Hey Christen, you need back up?"

"No but we do have a problem." Christen stated watching the girl sleeping in the chair, she was sweating. The male on the other end of the line was uncharacteristically silent, "let the others know would you." A simple press of a button ended the short call. He knew Damien would understand what he meant. Only one thing to do now, he couldn't just leave her.

She was surprisingly light even for such a petit form. Christen placed her on the floor; the bed's fabric would get in the way if she needed medical help. He needed to find the wound that was draining the girl. Carefully, trying not to cause any damage, he removed her backpack, jumper and shirt to assess the full damage: there were no wounds beyond two bruises; one on her side and the other on her shoulder. The boy sighed perplexed noticing that she had the body of a runner; slim, toned, medium female height with medium sized breasts, but she could pull off stylish and not have to worry about being hindered if she had to run. She was really quite cute; her skin was clear and tanned, her hair a brighter blonde than his own, a complete colour contrast to her skin.

Abruptly, Christen shook his head noticing the heated state of his face - he didn't need this. He placed the girl onto the bed turned around surveying the room scratching his head before returning his interest to the girl - she was sleeping, peacefully now. He leaned against the only dresser at the foot of the bed he crossed his arms in thought.

Seconds later his phone lit up. No sound or movement, just a small blinking light, "Hey Damien"

"Hey man, what's going on? Why'd you call it off?" Damien's voice queried over the speaker.

"No time to explain; meet me at the house in thirty minutes"

Damien sighed, "Alright Christen. See you there" The line went dead and silence settled in the room.

Christen only had to pack a few items to take with him and was done in minutes. It all fit in a large backpack and he picked up her bag too. There was a car in the side alley, but as he had the girl and two bags he had to go around through the front door to get there. It really shouldn't have been a problem, but if FP had left some soldiers nearby to keep an eye out for her then it was nothing but a problem. "Where did you come from" he wondered out loud.

A few minutes later the blonde was holding the girl called Lillian, in his arms, wrapped head to toe in a dark grey blanket. The woman at the front desk, the only employee here, spotted him, "Oh dear, is she alright?" Christen had had a few encounters with her. Her name was Anna, she was a widowed housewife, and she was very kind in a motherly sort of way.

Christen' face said nothing about his nerves, "Yeah, my cousin – she just a little too much to drink."

Anna smiled, "Oh well, kids these days." She waved as he left, "Take care."

Outside was calm compared to the frenzy it was half an hour ago but, that didn't mean anything. The man who'd questioned him about the girl was an FP soldier, no doubt about that. From that alone rose several questions - Why did FP want her? How was she connected with Admin 01-87-H? Who was she really? The note didn't explain anything about that which was unusual for that particular admin as they were thorough. These thoughts floated in and out of his head as he strapped the girl into the passenger seat, he straightened seeing a movement out of the corner of his eye but when he looked he saw nothing unusual, so got in the drivers' seat and drove off, reluctant to stick around.

The streets were empty on such nights. There was a storm brewing, but that was normal for this time of year. Building after building passed in such a haze that they all seemed to mesh. The girl roused for a few seconds but quickly fell back into her slumber state. Christen dreaded to hear what the other would say about ditching the mission for this, Charlie, Trevor and Tyler would have done the mission anyway and probably left the girl behind as there were no visible wounds.